Hinge



c. A, MAY

Sept. 9, 1941.

HINGE Filed May 21, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 car/ way Sept. 9,1941. c MAY I 2,255,529

HIiIGE Filed May 21, 1938 Q 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1941 HINGE Carl A. May, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The First Central Trust Company, trustee, Akron, Ohio, a

' corporation of Ohio Application May 21, 193 Serial No. 209,271

3 Claim.

This invention relates to hinges and refers more particularly to automobile door hinges which are adjustable.

Although automobiles have been developed to a high degree of refinement, the industry has not had available a satisfactory door hinge, the hinges now used being of the old hinge pin type that cannot be adjusted to compensate for inaccuracies in manufacturing automobile bodies, or for a sagging door, or a jammed door or body that often results when an automobile has been in a wreck.

The prior art hinges are expensive, are not provided with adequate means for lubrication, become worn and rattle from the vibration of the automobile, and they permit water, grit, and dirt to work into the bearing surfaces, which results in rapid wear and unsightly rust streaks on the body of the automobile below the hinge; and also, these prior art hinges require considerable force to swing the door, and when the door is swung, the hinge often squeaks'from the results of the grit, rust, and lack of lubricating oil.

The general objects of the present invention are to obviate such faults and to reduce the cost of hinges. These objects are accomplished specifically by providing a hinge with a pair oi hinge leaves having interfitting knuckles, said knuckles being so formed and proportioned as to permit limited relative movement of the leaves in all directions for purpose of adjustment of doors to their frames, serving to register the knuckles and to provide bearings therebetween at their adjacent surfaces, and adjustable screws connecting the balls with the knuckles, and guards to keep water, dirt, and grit away from the hinge wearing surfaces.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention looking toward the outside of the hinge;

Fig. 2 is a similar view looking toward the inside of the hinge;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing another modified form of the invention wherein the recesses in the'end of the set-screws are nonconcentric or off-center of said set-screws.

Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 5 illustrating the tilting effect on the leaf of the hinge when one setscrew is given approximately a one quarter turn from the position shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view of the inner end of one of the set-screws; and

Fig. 8 is a view of the outer end of the other set screw per se.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be seen that the novel hinge there shown comprises a pair of relatively flat leaves l0 and ii which are pivotally connected together, said leaves being provided with apertures l2 for accommodation of bolts or screws whereby to be secured to the door and door frame respectively. The leaf III is integrally formed with a knuckle I4 which is adapted to be straddled by knuckles I5 and I6 of the leaf II. The adjacent end portion of the leaf I0 is curved to form skirts ll which conceal the knuckles l5 and I6, and when the door is open, the ends of the skirts I! are adapted to be abutted by shoulders [8 on the knuckles l5 and i6, thus limiting the opening movement. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, the space between the knuck es l5 and I6 is greater than he width of the knuckle l4, and as a result there is a certain amount of clearance between these respective parts. This clearance makes possible the adjustable connection between the knuckles as will now be explained.

The upper and lowersurfaces or ends of the knuckle l4 are formed with hemispherical recesses or sockets 20 and 2i for seating steel hearing balls 22 and 23 respectively. These balls 22 and 23 are held in their seats by correspondingly recessed ends of set-screws 24 and 25, which are respectively screwed into aligned openings in the knuckles l5 and I6. By reason of the previously mentioned clearance between the knuckles, it will be evident that by axially adjusting the setscrews 24 and 25, the relationship between the leaves [0 and II may be varied to compensate for inaccuracies or inequalities in the door mounting,

In order to maintain the working parts of the hinge in good condition, it is desirable that it be capable of lubrication. One way of accomplishing this is by providing the screw 24 with a small central bore 21 containing a cotton wick as shown in Fig. 3. Similarly the knuckle l4 has a hole 28 between the sockets 20 and 2|, said hole 28 also containing a cottonwick. Suitable lubricant such as oil is used to substantially saturate the wicks, and periodically more lubricant may be added through the upper end of the set-screw 24; some of this lubricant will work its way past the ball 22 and through the hole 28 to the ball 23. Thus the bearing balls and their sockets are kept in free-wdrkscrews 24 and 25 and engaging against the outer surfaces or ends of the knuckles I 5 and I6. These cap nuts enhance the appearance of the hinge assembly in addition to locking the set-screws in place.

Several modified features of the invention are shOWn in Fig. 4. In the first place, the set-screw 24a has its inner end formed with a circular flange 35 adapted to surround a boss 26 on the upper side of the knuckle Ila. The inner end of the set-screw 25a has a reduced diameter 81 adapted to extend into a recess 38 in the lower side of the knuckle Ha. With this arrangement the bearing balls are raised above the planes between the knuckles, and dust and grit are prevented from entering the bearing ball seats. Secondly, the screws are shorter than in the first illustrated embodiments, and the cap nuts 39- and 40 have portions engaging in counter-bores Al and 42 in the outer sides of knuckles l5a and Mia, with the result that-the nuts do not project so far. The set-screws may have screw-driver slots or wrench sockets, as desired.

Several further modified features of the invention are shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. In these views it will be seen that the hinge there shown comprises a pair of relatively flat leaves IDA and IIA which may be similar to those of Fig. 1. The leaves IDA and HA are pivotally connected together, said leaves being provided with apertures for accommodation of bolts or screws whereby to be secured to the door and door frame respectively. The leaf IDA is integrally formed with a knuckle A which is adapted to be straddled by knuckles ISA and [6A of the leaf HA. The adjacent end portion of the leaf IDA is curved to form skirts "A which conceal the knuckles ISA and IDA, and when the door is open, the ends of the skirts "A are adapted to be abutted by shoulders not shown but similar to shoulder I8 of Figs. 1 and 2, thus the opening movement of the door is limited. As is clearly shown in Fig. 6 the space between knuckles IDA and IDA is enough greater than the width of the knuckle MA to provide ample clearance between these respective parts to permit a limited amount of tilting of I 5A and IDA. This clearance makes possible the adjustable and tilting connection as will now be explained.

The upper and lower surfaces or ends of the knuckle MA are formed with hemispherical recesses or sockets A and 2IA for seating steel bearing balls 22A and 23A respectively. These balls 22A and 23A are held in their seats by correspondingly recessed ends of set-screws 24A and 25A, which are respectively screwed into aligned openings in the knuckles ISA and IDA. The recess or socket 5D in set-screw 25A is formed nonconcentric with the circumference of said set-' screw for the purpose of changing the alignment of the balls 22A and 23A. By means of the previously mentioned clearance between the knuckles, it will be evident that by axially adjusting the set-screw 25A by turning said setscrew that the recess 50 will progressively change its alignment with e recess 20A. It will also be evident that sinc the balls 22A and 23A are til the bearing in recesses MA and MA that as recess 5D is shifted that the direction of the axis of the hinge will change. Since one of the leaves of the hinge is fastened to the door jamb it will be seen that the change of angularity of the axis of the hinge will necessarily tilt the door according to the position to which the recess has been turned. It will now be seen that when set-screw 24A also carries a non-concentric recess, that, with the vertical adjustment of the set-screws 24A and 25A substantial adjustment of the position of the door could be made in any desired direction by simply turning the adjustable screws. With the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the knuckles I5A and I6A have been shortened to permit the, cap nuts 52 and D3 to extend into the top and bottom edges of the hinge.

Although the invention has been described in connection with different preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that different changes will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention which is limited, therefore, only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: v

' 1. A hinge of the class described comprising a pair of hinge leaves having three interfitting knuckles, said knuckles being so formed and proportioned that the width of the inner knuckle is substantially less than the distance between outer knuckles and sufficient space is provided between the knuckles and the hinge leaves to provide clearance for limited relative movement of the leaves in the direction of the axis of the knuckles, and limited relative movement of the leaves in the transverse direction of the axis of the knuckles, the inner knuckle having its opposite edges formed with hemispherical bearing seats and a relatively small lubricating passage between said bearing seats, a pair of smooth surfaced balls disposed in said bearing seats and serving to register the knuckles, adjustment screws fitted in the outer knuckles and having their inner ends formed with hemispherical bearing seats for engagement with said balls, one of said bearing seats in said adjustment screws being formed non-concentric with said adjustment screw, said adjustment screws serving to snugly engage said balls in opposition to said bearing seats, and means for lubricating said balls.

s 2; A hinge of the class described comprising a pair of hinge leaves having three interfltting knuckles, said knuckles being so formed and proportioned that the width of the inner knuckle is substantially less than the distance between the outer knuckles and sufficient space is provided between the knuckles and the hinge leaves to provide clearance for limited relative movement of the leaves in the direction of the axis of the knuckles, and limited relative movement of the leaves in the transverse direction of the axis of the knuckles, the inner knuckle having its oppo- -site edges formed with hemispherical bearing seats, a pair of smooth surfaced balls disposed in said bearing seats and serving to register the knuckles, adjustment screws fitted in the outer knuckles and having their inner ends formed with hemispherical bearing seats for engagement with said balls, one of said bearing seats in said adjustment screws being formed non-concentric with said adjustment screw, said adjustment screws serving to snugly engage said balls in opposition to said bearing seats.

3. A hinge of the class described comprising a pair of hinge leaves having three interfltting knuckles, said knuckles being so iormed and pro portioned that the width of the inner knuckle is substantially less than the distance between the outer knuckles and ,suiilcient space is provided between the knuckles and the hinge leaves to provide clearance for limited relative movement 01 the leaves in the direction of the axis of the knuckles, and limited relative movement of the leaves in the transverse direction oi'the axis of the knuckles, the inner knuckle having its op- 10 posite edges formed with hemispherical bearing seats and a relatively small lubricating passage between said heating seats, a pair of smooth surengage said balls in opposition to said bearing seats.

CARL A. MAY. 

